


Festive Favors

by anonymouse_fiction



Series: Home Is Where the Heart Is [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Ashei-centric, Canon-Typical Violence, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Period Typical Attitudes, Post-Canon, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 20:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8682880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymouse_fiction/pseuds/anonymouse_fiction
Summary: After some convincing, Link and Ashei drag Shad out for a little fun at the Summer Solstice festival. However, Link’s in for quite a surprise, since festivals aren’t quite the same in Castle Town as they are in Ordona.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! Welcome to the 4th fic in the "Home Is Where the Heart Is" series! I will admit, this was a oneshot that I added in after the majority of this fic was originally written, so it might seem a little unpolished as compared to the others. I apologize in advance for any mistakes you might find, as this (along with the rest of the series) is completely unbeta'd. This fic is also Ashei-centric, so just a heads up!

“Ashei, are you really sure about this?” Link whispered as they peeked around the corner of Resistance’s room in Telma’s bar. Ashei looked down at Link and scoffed.

“Of course I’m sure! Look at the poor sap; he’s been at that thesis for so long he’s got circles under his eyes! Besides, Telma’s closing early and we have to get him out of here _somehow_.” Ashei whispered back, looking over to the table.

            The poor sap in question was none other than the Resistance’s resident scholar, Shad. Ashei had made no exaggeration to his appearance, as the circles beneath his eyes were dark enough to warrant Link calling him a racoon. He was surrounded by stacks of books from the Royal Archives, hunched over a huge manuscript that Link once mistook for a dictionary missing it’s cover. He was so engrossed in his work that Telma had to bring him food and water just to remind him that he needed to eat and drink… which had prompted the current situation: a break-time intervention, courtesy of Link and Ashei. Ashei looked down to Link and held up three fingers, to which Link nodded. As she put down each finger, they crept closer and closer to Shad, hoping to take him by surprise…

Only to leap face-first into a barrier that Shad had set up.

            The pair stumbled back with a surprised shout of pain from each, with Ashei shaking her head to shake off the shock while Link rubbed his nose to soothe the sudden pain. Shad, not bothering to look up from his work, chuckled.

“Did you two honestly think I wasn’t expecting you?” Shad asked as he furrowed his brow and scratched out something in the thesis.

“Well that was a pretty fucking frigid welcome!” Ashei barked, not amused by Shad’s barrier in the slightest.

“Frigid, yet effective. I won’t have you two trying to jump me and drag me away from the table like you’ve done before.” Shad said tiredly as he finally looked to the pair.

“Shad, buddy, we’re just worried about you. You haven’t been home for days now!” Link tried, hoping Shad would see reason.

“Because you’ve been badgering me.” Shad replied flatly.

“Yeah! To eat and sleep! Y’know, basic functions?” Link shot back.

“Not to mention you’ve been at this for days! When’s the last time you even bathed?!” Ashei added, making Shad scoff.

“You both are acting as though I forget to take care of myself when engrossed in my studies! I bathed last night at the public bathhouse if you must know, Ashei.” Shad grumped, not pleased with his friends distracting him.

“Alright, y’know what? Shad, you’re cranky and tired because you’ve been at this too long. You need a break!” Ashei said in exasperation, earning her an eyeroll from Shad.

“Oh, you’re exaggerating.”

“What’s today’s date?” Link asked, crossing his arms.

“Er, well, let me think… the 19th, yes?” Shad replied. Link and Ashei looked to each other incredulously before looking back to him.

“It’s the 22nd! Shad, you’ve been cooped up in here way too long, and its high time you came out!” Link said, only for Shad’s eyes to widen.

“Absolutely not! If today really is the 22nd, then that means I’ve only a week left until this thesis is due for its first review, and I won’t stand for any sloppiness in my work!”

“Shad, you’ve been lookin’ over it for a month now, maybe even longer, since I only know you’ve been workin’ on it since I got here at least. Let sleeping dogs lie and submit the thing!” Link argued.

“He’s right, Shad. If you keep fussing over it, you’re gonna kill yourself. I get you’re worried, but you need a break!” Ashei added, glad to see Shad glance down to the thesis thoughtfully before sighing.

“I suppose you’re both right… however, I still plan to continue working on it after whatever little ‘break’ you two have planned.” Shad said firmly, raising his hand and dispelling the barrier as he rose from his seat.

“Well, at least it’s a start.” Link muttered as Shad approached them.

“What are you even in such a rush for, anyways? I thought you basically had that thing written?” Ashei asked.

“After gaining access to both the Oocca and Royal Archives, I’ve been doing quite a bit of cross-referencing of historical events, specifically unexplained ones. And I’ve found many answers to missing Hylian history within the Oocca’s own.” Shad said proudly, only to have Link cock an eyebrow at him.

“Meaning…” Link drawled, hoping Shad would catch the hint that he’d need to explain more.

“ _Meaning_ that I’m quite literally explaining the unexplained in Hyrule’s history. The correlation between events in both histories are too strong to be brushed off as coincidence!” Shad said excitedly. Ashei chuckled.

“You could have just said ‘I’m rewriting history as we know it.’ Would have had the same effect, y’know.”

“When have I ever been blunt about anything?” Shad asked, only for Link to shoot him a harmless glare.

“How ‘bout that time you twisted my ear for dog-earing a book page? You were pretty blunt about that one.” Link said flatly, only to have Ashei laugh at him.

“With how protective Shad is of his books, you should have known better!”

“At any rate, I’m merely concerned the review committee will give me the same treatment as my father, despite the evidence I’ve provided. Hence why I’ve dedicated so much time to my revisions.” Shad admitted, only to have Link roll his eyes at him.

“If they try to turn you down, I’ll drag the whole lot of ‘em to the City in the Sky myself!” Link said, making Ashei nod in agreement.

“I’d rather you not... I only just decorated my private study to my liking, after all.” Shad joked.

“Alright, enough academia talk! Shad, you know what today is, right?” Ashei asked.

“Aside from the 22nd, no.”

“Today’s the Summer Solstice Festival! You really mean to tell me you haven’t been bothered by all that racket out there?” Link asked, honestly surprised.

“Is that what all that is? Well, it certainly explains why Telma is closing up early today. Wait, you’re not suggesting I go to relax, are you?” Shad asked worriedly.

“Well, I mean… that was kinda the idea. We thought you could use a little fun!” Link said.

“I appreciate the thought, but I’m not rather fond of crowds, and-”

“Oh no, not this time, bub. You’re coming! You said yourself you need to get out more, even if, and I quote, ‘it takes you and Link dragging me out to do it’! Besides, that tea shop you like has a booth this year, and they’re doing a special on their teas…” Ashei interjected. Shad paused for a moment before giving her the most serious look Link had ever seen him wear.

“Define ‘special’.”

“Buy one ounce, get one ounce free. On their entire stock.” Ashei answered, making Shad sigh.

“Alright, I cede. However, I fully expect you both to respect my wishes to leave if I become uncomfortable.” Shad warned, only to have Link chuckle.

“Ah, what are you worried about? Me and Ashei are gonna be with you!” Link said, hoping to ease Shad’s mind.

“ _That’s_ what worries me.” Shad answered, laughing when Link and Ashei both shot him a glare.

\-----

“You’ll do just about anything for tea, won’t ya?” Link teased as he and Shad walked along the bustling streets, trying to avoid getting in the way of any preparations. They’d agreed to meet up with Ashei around six in the evening, when the festival would be opening up.

“As will you for food!” Shad shot back, smirking when Link laughed.

“Alright, you got me. But seriously, what’s with all the hubbub?” Link asked, motioning to the preparations taking place in the square.

            Shops were closing early, opting instead to focus on setting up their stalls for the festival if they had one. Others were busy sweeping the streets or picking up any stray litter, while others still were busy stringing small glass lights and streamers in between all the lampposts in the square. If that wasn’t enough, shops were already trying to peddle their wares, selling a variety of trinkets, odds and ends, and other miscellaneous things. Shad smacked Link’s hand away as he reached towards a party popper stall they were passing by.

“The Summer Solstice Festival is an enormous event each year, old boy. It marks the passing of power over the seasons from Farore to Din, what with Farore presiding over spring and early summer, Din over summer and early autumn, and Nayru over late autumn and winter, but I digress. While Din isn’t our patron goddess, the celebration is always a spectacle.” Shad explained, making Link give him a quizzical look.

“Ok, I get that… but _why_? Wouldn’t all the color, noise, and shopping distract from what you’re celebrating in the first place?”

“I’ve held that same school of thought for a quite some time. However, with how strong an influence the market section of town has…” Shad started, watching as a horse-drawn cart loaded down with fireworks made its way up the hill towards the castle, no doubt to prepare for the fireworks display that night.

“It’s gonna wind up that way no matter what. I’m just gonna go ahead and guess that a white tunic, jeans, and sandals won’t cut it tonight?” Link asked as he noticed one of the clothes shops they were passing by advertising a special on festival attire.

“I’m afraid not, old boy. Is that how things are done in Ordona?” Shad asked as they finally made it through the crowded square, cutting through the back alley that would lead to Shad’s apartment.

“Yeah. We all get together, and by ‘all’ I mean we even invite the neighboring villages all the way up into the mountains, and wear white to mark there being more day than night. On equinoxes, we all wear black since there’s more night than day. But the way we celebrate is never anything flashy: just a bonfire where everyone brings food and we swap stories, play music, and tell old tales honoring the goddesses.” Link explained, earning a smile from Shad.

“That actually sounds like a marvelous time, Link. Perhaps we could all sneak away to Ordona and celebrate the autumn equinox there?”

“I dunno, Ashei might get bored…”

“Please, there would be hyperbole in spades and a fire. She would be more than amused.” Shad laughed, making Link chuckle and shake his head as they reached the steps to Shad’s apartment.

“You’re probably right. But anyways, if what I normally wear isn’t ok, then what is?” Link asked as they ascended the steps.

“Well frankly, I’d say you should wear a nice pair of pants, a dress shirt, and a vest at the very least.” Shad replied matter-of-factly as he unlocked and opened the door for them.

“Uh… I don’t have any of those.” Link admitted.

“Oh, well in that ca-wait, WHAT?!” Shad shouted in shock, making Link wince.

“Well when you’re either herdin’ or fightin’, you don’t usually get a chance to wear anything fancy!” Link defended, only to have Shad groan.

“I understand that, but you should at _least_ have something just in case! What if her Highness were to call on you?”

“Then I’d wear the Hero’s Clothes, same as I always do.” Link answered, only making Shad heave an exasperated sigh.

“We don’t have time for this. The Hero’s Clothes will do for tonight, I suppose. However, we will be discussing this again. You need a nice suit, even if it’s only for ‘just in case’ events.” Shad said as they slipped off their shoes at the door and entered the house.

“Alright, now that that’s settled, you should go lay down for a little bit. You need to get some rest before you go out tonight. Especially since I don’t know when the last time you slept was.” Link recommended, mostly out of concern for his friend.

“Oh come now, I’m not an insomniac! I slept while I was ‘cooped up’ as you and Ashei put it.” Shad countered, only for Link to cross his arms and cock a questioning eyebrow at him.

“Was it comfortable?” Link asked knowingly, making Shad chuckle nervously.

“Not particularly, no.”

“Exactly. Go to bed; I’ll wake you up at five so you have time to get ready.” Link said in finality.

\-----

‘Goddesses, where are those two?’ Ashei thought as she looked around at the people passing her by.

            It was nearly six thirty in the evening, if the clock in the storefront she was looking at was correct, and that made the pair nearly half an hour late. Ashei frowned, knowing that it wasn’t like either of them to be late like this. She fidgeted a bit out of nervousness, choosing to smooth the front of her dress out in the storefront glass’s reflection. It was a simple enough dress: full-length, sweetheart neckline, a white sash with a bow at the waist, and off-shoulder sleeves in a flattering blue, but she never did feel like she did dresses justice. Ashei sighed, turning to head to Shad’s apartment and track them down herself when a very familiar noise caught her attention. Ashei whipped around to glare at a pair of young soldiers that had chosen her to wolf whistle and cat call at.

“Where you going, gorgeous?” the taller of the pair asked, face hidden by their helm.

“Yeah, need an escort?” The shorter added, helm also hiding his face.

“Not from the likes of you, thanks. I’d feel safer with a lizalfos!” Ashei spat, turning on her heel to walk away before she felt one of them put a hand on her shoulder.

“Aw, c’mon beautiful. We’re just interested is all, since we don’t see such lovely ladies very often. No harm in that, right?” the taller tried, only to have Ashei smack his hand away and turn to him with an icy scowl.

“Like I’d buy that load of bullshit. If you were interested in more than a little ‘fun’, you wouldn’t have been so quick to wolf-whistle at me like it’s the only way you know how to get a lady’s attention. Besides, boys like you have tried to come after me before, and believe me when I say they fail.”

“Boys?! It takes a man to handle dangerous weapons like these!” the shorter one cut in, swinging his spear in what Ashei assumed was supposed to be an impressive display.

“Uh-huh. Look, not to burst your bubble, but I’ve seen moblins more intimidating that that. Do yourself a favor and quit swingin’ that stickpin around before you hurt yourself.” Ashei said flatly, only to have the taller laugh at his friend’s expense.

“I told you ladies aren’t impressed with spears, man. It’s all about the cold steel of the sword!” he said, drawing his blade from his waist for Ashei to see... by directing the tip at her face. Ashei cocked and eyebrow and used her fingertip to push the blade aside, not happy in the slightest by the blade’s dingy condition.

“You wanna talk weapons, boys? I’ll be more than happy to show you a _real_ sword.” Ashei growled, reaching her hand over her shoulder to grab something, only to have a man about her height come up from being the pair and knock their heads together roughly.

             Ashei blinked in surprise, not expecting someone to interrupt her… especially not someone as old as this man seemed. His face bore no wrinkles, but did show a large scar across his cheek, marring his fair complexion. His white hair was pulled back into a short high ponytail that was just as well kempt as his silver armor. Ashei could tell from the fine gold filigree on his breastplate and pauldrons that he was at the very least a high-ranking knight, more likely a captain.

             Tonight, he seemed to be more relaxed, has he’d forgone the typical great helm, gorget, chain mail, gauntlets, tassets, cuisses, poleyns, and greaves that made up the rest of the Hylian knights armor. Instead, he’d choose to wear a black long sleeved undershirt and black pants with black leather shoes. Brown eyes looked up to her and she looked away before she could contemplate his looks any further, quickly putting her hands tightly at her sides. She was fully expecting a lecture on distracting on duty guards, but instead she heard metal grind against metal as he held the soldier’s heads in place.

“And just what do you dolts think you’re doing away from your designated posts?” the man asked, voice far smoother and deeper than Ashei had been expecting for someone his age.

“W-we were just escorting this defenseless lady to her friends!” The shorter one squeaked, with the taller of them nodding furiously, making a comical screeching noise as their helms rubbed together.

“Ah, is that so? Then why did she turn you down? Would one of you care to answer that?” he asked, letting his grip loosen so they could turn to him.

“C-captain Argus, it was for her own good! She’s far to pretty to be out alone!” the taller tried, only to have Argus glare at him.

“Her own good, you say? Do you two idiots not realize who she is?” Argus asked incredulously, sighing when the pair looked to each other in confusion.

“That ‘defenseless lady’ is the Resistance’s very own Ashei.” Argus said calmly, smirking as the pair stiffened in their place, looking back at her over their shoulders slowly. Ashei gave them a smug grin and a friendly wave, trying not to laugh when they both audibly gulped.

“You should be happy that I intervened before she was upset enough to take matters into her own hands; I’d wager you’d both be a few inches shorter had I not. Now back to your posts before I get mad!” Argus barked, watching as the pair ran into each other before finally running around him back into the festival.

“I apologize for their behavior, ma’am. Brutus and Nero have always been problem students for me.” Argus sighed as he looked back to Ashei.

“It’s alright. Believe me, if I let every rude guy that came onto me fluster me, there’s no way I’d be able to make a living the way I do.” Ashei said with a nonchalant shrug. Argus chuckled and approached her, holding out his hand.

“Your reputation may precede you, but I prefer to make proper introductions. My name is Argus, ma’am. And you might be?” Argus asked, pleased to see Ashei grin and firmly shake his hand.

“Ashei. The Resistance’s Ashei, as you so kindly pointed out. Meaning you know I could have handled that myself.” Ashei said as they broke their handshake.

“Perhaps, but I’m not one to let soldiers under my watch run amok like that.” Argus grumbled, clearly not pleased with their behavior.

             Ashei chuckled and reached behind her back, moving her hair to the side so she could draw the blade she’d hidden in a sheath designed to rest over her spine. Argus’ eyebrows shot up in surprise as she drew the blade that glinted in the setting sun’s light. Ashei smirked, giving it a quick few swings through the empty air before sheathing it once more.

“I really could have, y’know. Don’t mean I don’t appreciate it, though.” Ashei said softly as she brushed her hair back into place.

“Goddesses, a woman after my own heart!” Argus laughed, only to have Ashei blush furiously at him.

“A-ain’t a little young for you?!” Ashei spluttered.

“Young? I’m only twenty-seven, ma’am.” Argus replied, hoping to calm Ashei down.

“Really?! Huh, that only makes you two years older than me, then.”

“Early gray hair runs in my family, unfortunately. And I meant no harm; I was only trying to say that I like your taste in swords. Everyone’s become so obsessed with longswords that you don’t often see arming swords anymore.” Argus explained. Ashei lit up at that.

“Right?! There’s only one smithy in town that’ll care for my sword anymore. It’s frustrating that everyone looks down on them despite being so versatile.” Ashei said.

“Not to mention durable. My own has been faithful for years now.”

“Exactly! Say, are you entered in the swordsmanship contest later tonight?” Ashei asked.

“That I am. If you are as well, I hope we get to face off against each other. I’ve heard many a story about your dancing blade.” Argus replied.

“Dancing blade? Is that what people call it?”

“Yes. If the stories people tell are to be believed, your style is as graceful as a dancer yet as powerful as a Darknut.”

“Pft, okay. Whatever they say.” Ashei muttered disbelievingly. 

“Do you doubt your own ability?”

“No, it’s just folks don’t usually get flowery when they describe anything about me.” Ashei said simply, making Argus frown.

“Well, that’s a shame. Believe what you will, but you are a lovely woman.” Argus said, turning to leave. Ashei felt her cheeks heat up before shooting him a glare.

“Don’t you go acting like those twits, now.” Ashei warned, only to have Argus look over his shoulder and chuckle.

“I don’t plan to. But I would be very lucky to earn your respect.” Argus said, making Ashei calm down a bit.

“Good. I’m holding you to that. And you just might get it, depending on how you fare in the contest later.” Ashei offered, glad to see the corners of Argus’ eyes crinkle from a smile she couldn’t see.

“Then I shall do my best, ma’am. Until then.” Argus said as he turned away, disappearing into the crowd with only a few short strides.

            Ashei felt a comfortable smile work its way onto her face as he disappeared from her view. Before she could get lost in her thoughts, the thudding of feet against the cobblestone streets caught her attention. She turned to see Link and Shad running towards her, the pair clearly flustered by their tardiness.

“There you two are! I was starting to think you’d gone and ditched me for a little date!” Ashei teased as the pair came to a stop in front of her, with Shad panting heavily from the exercise while Link was only just slightly panting from their sprint.

“Don’t start that. And sorry, but have you ever tried keeping Shad straight once he’s up from a nap?! This doof nearly left the apartment without his shoes!” Link explained, only to have Ashei laugh.

“Did he now?”

“Yeah. Apparently, someone’s not a morning person.”

“Said… the man… that wakes up… as late as possible.” Shad panted out, trying to catch his breath. Link rolled his eyes.

“Only on weekends. Hey Ashei, who was that guy that you were talking to?” Link asked, looking around her to see if he was still visible.

“Him? Heh, he’s probably one of the few other guys in this Town I can stomach! Now c’mon, we’ve got festival games to play!” Ashei said before grabbing both their wrists and dragging them into the festival, eager to get to the fun in store.

\-----

            It wasn’t long before Link had taken control of leading the group around. Ashei had given up on trying to steer them through the crowd when Link would pause at every single booth they passed. Shad and Ashei chose to let him peruse their wares while they opted to look over the night’s schedule that was posted near the square’s fountain. Ashei smirked when she saw the final matchups for the swordsmanship contest: it looked like she’d be going up against Argus in the ‘elite’ category. The preliminary matches had been held earlier in the week, and the best performers based on skill had been matched up for each bracket.

“It’s rather odd not seeing a storytelling event take place this year, wouldn’t you say?” Shad asked as he skimmed the schedule.

“Well, after last year’s fiasco with the dramatic reenactment of the Legendary Hero’s final fight against Ganon, I don’t blame them.” Ashei sighed, a little upset as well.

“R-right, I forgot about that… Did that poor man ever recover from his injuries?”

“Yeah, but he’s sworn off stage work for life!” Ashei laughed, glancing over her shoulder to check on Link.

“Are you afraid he’s going to steal a cart?” Shad asked teasingly.

“At the rate he’s going? Probably!”

“Speaking of stealing… you had quite a satisfied smile on when Link and I arrived. Did that man you were speaking with happen to steal your hea-OW!” Shad yelped as Ashei grabbed his ear and twisted.

“He didn’t steal nothin’! He was just some knight that stepped in and put his soldiers in line. Typical stuff, that’s all.” Ashei said lowly, not wanting anyone to overhear and start rumors.

“Alright, alright! Cease and desist, for Nayru’s sake!” Shad protested, trying to pry Ashei’s hand away while causing himself as little pain as possible. Ashei rolled her eyes and let his ear go.

“Goddesses, that smarts. Explain to me why you can pick on Link and I, but we can’t do the same to you?” Shad questioned, giving Ashei a sour look as he rubbed his ear.

“Because you know full and well that every guy that’s ever been interested in me was only interested on account of a dare or desperation.” Ashei spat.

“But perhaps he’s different? Normally you’re not this defensive after a man approaches you.”

“I… maybe. But until I’ve measured him up myself, he’s just a knight that was doing his duty.” Ashei said, crossing her arms and giving Shad a stern look that said ‘we’re done with this conversation’.

“What knight was doing what duty?” Link asked as he came back to the pair, holding three bags of tokens.

“That guy I me-those aren’t all for you, are they?!” Ashei asked, looking at all the tokens Link had.

“Huh? Nah, I just figured it’d be cheaper to do the deal they had going. Thirty rupees for a hundred and twenty tokens seemed like a good deal. I figured we could split ‘em.” Link replied as he tossed Shad and Ashei a bag each.

“Well, I hadn’t planned on participating in any games, but I suppose I’ll indulge now. Thank you!” Shad said as he looked into the bag and pulled one out, admiring the copper coin’s summer design.

“In that case, we’re hitting the archery booth first! C’mon!” Ashei said as she started towards the midway, forcing Link and Shad to keep up with her excited pace.

            As Link weaved through the crowd, he had to admit he was happily overwhelmed by all the commotion surrounding him. The streamers and lights from earlier had been tangled together, creating a beautiful lit garland that illuminated the square. The aromas from all the food stands made the air smell delectable and inviting, and the happy shouts of victory from people at the game stands were welcome sounds. The best part to him, though, was the families and friends bustling by and enjoying themselves.

“Ashei, would you wait up, for Farore’s sake?!” Link said as he and Shad finally managed to break through the crowd and get to the stall.

“I am!” Ashei said as a little old lady appeared behind the stall’s counter, her white bun peeking out from over the top. The squeaking of a chair caught Link’s attention as the old lady finally popped up in full view behind the counter, adjusting her thick glasses to see them all better.

“Waiting up does not imply that you wait for those behind you once you’ve reached the destination!” Shad said, making Ashei laugh.

“Not my fault you two haven’t figured out crowd displacement yet.” Ashei teased.

“Good evening, dearies. Are you three interested in my challenge?” the old lady asked sweetly as she straightened her red and white pinstriped stall owner’s suit.

“I don’t know about those two, but I am! I’m here for the specialty challenge!” Ashei said happily as she slapped six tokens on the stall counter, looking on the walls at the prizes to be had.

“Hmm, let me see here… alright, you’re good to go! Six tokens for ten shots; hit all bullseyes for the grand prize!” the owner said as she ducked under the counter, first putting the promised arrows on the counter, and then pulling some lever underneath.

            Link and Shad both stepped back a bit as the stall whirred to life, the background beginning to move back to create depth in the stall. The two rows of targets that were there originally lowered, being replaced by targets on multiple rows. A few moments passed and the targets started to move, speeding up so they whizzed by almost too fast to be tracked, let alone see a bullseye. Ashei smirked at the pair, knowing they hadn’t been expecting the stand to do that. The owner popped her head back up and chuckled.

“This is our special challenge, designed with exceptional and daring archers in mind. Think you can handle it?” she asked as she handed Ashei the bow.

“You kidding? This looks like a blast!” Ashei said as she grasped the bow, waiting for the lady to move her chair out of the way.

“Are you really going to try this?!” Shad asked incredulously as he and Link came closer to the counter to watch.

“Try? Pft, please. I’m gonna nail these targets dead center!” Ashei answered confidently as she knocked an arrow and took aim. Link gulped.

“Hopefully we ain’t included in those targets.” Link said as the arrow was drawn back and let fly. A shrill bell sounded, meaning a target had been hit.

“O ye of little faith!” Ashei teased as she knocked another arrow.

            Ashei continued to track each target as best she could, letting her arrows fly only when she thought she was sure she would hit. Passerby noticed all the commotion from the small stall and started to crowd around, watching Ashei on as she hit more and more targets. Link and Shad were getting riled up too, both cheering her on and eager to see if she’d make a perfect streak. Ashei knocked her final arrow and let it fly, only for there to be no bell. Once this happened, the crowd started to disperse, some disappointed grumbles being heard.

“Oh, what a shame, dearie! You were so close to a perfect round on your first try!” the stall owner said sadly. Ashei watched as the targets slowed down, revealing that she’d hit all bullseyes, save for one arrow lodged in the ring around the bullseye.

“Ah, it’s alright. I just wanted to see if I could try.” Ashei said as she looked over the prizes again, trying to decide what she wanted.

“Well, I’m certainly glad you decided to come by. Not many people try this version of my booth, and watching you shoot was a pleasure.”

“Thanks, ma’am. I think I’m gonna take that quiver as my prize.” Ashei said, pointing to the huge quiver much like Link’s.

“An excellent choice! Would you care to have another go?” the owner asked as she took down the prize and handed it to Ashei.

“Y’know what? I think I might! Link? Shad? You guys wanna try it first?” Ashei asked as she turned to the pair. Both nodded no furiously.

“Aw, you’re both a couple of cuccos. Alright ma’am, set me up with another round of arrows and keep ‘em coming! I’m gonna win this challenge or run out of tokens trying!” Ashei declared with a grin, tossing her token bag on the counter for the owner.

“You’re gonna be here a while, aren’t ya?” Link asked as Ashei rolled her shoulders, readying herself for the next round.

“Yep. At least until I’m called for my bout in the swordsmanship contest. I’ll come find you two if I finish before then. Anything you two want me to try and win you?” Ashei replied, earning a laugh from Shad.

“Unless she has an assortment of crystals available to win, I’ll have to decline.”

“Yeah, I’m good too. Me and Shad are gonna go look at the other games. We’ll see ya around!” Link said as he and Shad left the stall, both smirking when that bell sounded.

“She sure does love that booth, huh?” Link remarked as he and Shad wandered up the midway, none of the booths there catching their attention.

“She comes every year specifically to challenge that booth, at least as long as I’ve known her.”

“Does she know the old lady?”

“I don’t think so. The stall owner changes every year, but I would assume they’re all related.”

“Ah, that makes se-hey, you hear all that?” Link asked as they passed by a booth that had a large crowd around it.

            The pair paused and looked to the crowd and then each other, confused by the loud ruckus from the crowd. Everyone was either trying to discuss a strategy of some sort, gloating about their win, or sulking over their loss. Link decided to push through the crowd to investigate, followed after by Shad, also curious about the odd booth. As Link made his way to the front, he saw rows of bottles and pegs set up, each on different rows labeled one, five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five. There were several people tossing rings onto the various numbers, all while the crowd was shouting suggestions about what number to try and ring next. A sign reading ‘777’ hung over the rows.

“Welcome sir! Would you like to try?” An older man in a blue suit with salt and pepper hair and green eyes asked from behind the counter.

“Well, that depends! What all’s goin’ on here?” Link asked as Shad managed to reach him.

“Oh! The primary school is holding their fundraiser here this year?” Shad asked, smirking as the man smiled.

“Yes sir! It’s a simple math game this year. All you have to do is try to ring bottles and pegs to reach ‘777’ with the rings we give you, either by multiplying, dividing, adding, or subtracting. But be careful! If you ring a bottle, you add or multiply that number to your total, if you ring a peg, you subtract or divide that number. It’s ten tokens for the first twenty rings, and two tokens for each ring after. The best part is that you can keep trying as much as you want without losing your total! But if you quit, you have to start all over again.” He explained, smiling as a woman came over to him and chucked a handful of tokens into the jar on the counter.

“Thank you miss! Here’s five more rings.” He said, handing the promised rings over.

“How are you raising funds then? Are the tokens you collect worth something?” Link asked.

“Each token we collect is worth one green rupee, so the more tokens we collect, the more money the school gets! Would you like to try?” he asked, nudging the jar forward.

“Uh… thanks, but I’ll have to pass. I’m not much good at math on the fly. I’ll be happy to give y’all a donation, if that’s alright?” Link offered, pulling his token bag from his pouch.

“Donations are always accepted sir. Thank you very much for your patronage; my students and I appreciate it.” The man said as Link dropped twenty tokens into the jar before putting the bag back in his pouch.

“Well, I would certainly like to try! I haven’t stretched my brain with a math game in quite some time, and it’s for an excellent cause. Link, I might be here for a bit; would you like to continue on without me?” Shad asked as the man handed him his twenty rings to start.

“I think I’m gonna look around a little more and then come back here. If I run into Ashei, I’ll drag her along too. Good luck!” Link said with a wave, pushing back through the crowd and back to the midway.

            Link wandered through the midway, looking over each stall. Some offered games, others fortune telling services, others still food and drink. Link smiled softly as a man and woman about his age walked by, the woman holding a plush toy that her lover had won for her. A small knot of jealousy formed in is stomach, but he was quick to suppress the feeling, not sure where it had come from. A certain stall caught his attention when one of the owners called out to him.

“Link! Over here, buddy!” Hena called from a stand with a small pond in front of it. People were kneeled in front, trying to scoop whatever was swimming around inside.

“Hena! Hey, what’re you doing here?” Link asked as he came over to her stall.

“Oh, just a little promotion for my fishing hole! I thought a little game would be a great way to let folks here in Castle Town know where I am. You wanna give it a shot?” Hena asked as she pulled a small scoop and a cup out from behind the counter.

“Sure! What am I tryin’ to do here?”

“You’re gonna try and scoop up fish! One of those little silver bait fish ain’t worth anything but a flyer for the fishing hole, but…” Hena started, pointing to the pool in front of the counter. Link watched for a few moments before a shimmer of gold darted by, hiding beneath the lily pads that were scattered around in the pool.

“Hey, a goldfish!”

“Yep! If you snag one of those little suckers, you get a prize! I went with these cute stuffed animals, see?” Hena said, holding up a plush rabbit as an example. Link grinned.

“What’s the catch?” Link asked just as a buzzer went off.

“You’ve only got five minutes to catch as many goldfish as you can. Alright y’all, that’s the round! Any winners?” Hena called out. A few people held up the cup that they’d been given, with only a little boy having snagged a goldfish.

“Alright sweetie! What prize would you like?” Hena asked as everyone poured their cups out into the pond.

“The dragon, please!”

“One dragon for the little man! Here you go, honey.” Hena said as she reached under the clear front counter and pulled a green stuffed dragon out. The little boy grinned and took the prize before running over to his mother, delighted with his new friend.

“Ah, why not? I’ll play, Hena. How much?” Link asked as he pulled his token bag out.

“Five tokens a round. That sound alright?”

“Sounds fine to me! Just set me up for however much is in the bag.” Link said, taking the scoop and cup from Hena after he’d handed her the token bag.

“Heh, even if it’s small scale, you sure love to fish, huh? Alrighty folks, who else is playing? Step right up and scoop to win!” Hena shouted the question into the crowd, watching as more kids and adults came over to play.

            Link set himself up in a corner near a cluster of lily pads so that the children playing would have a better chance of scooping fish in the clear spots. He waited patiently for Hena to set everyone up, smiling when he noticed a father and his daughter kneel down in the center to play. Just as Hena was about to start the clock, a soldier and a lady sat down next to him. The clock was started, and Link’s gaze immediately went to the water.

“Alright sweetheart, watch the trained eye of a soldier at work!” The soldier said confidently, voice muffled by his helm. Link chuckled as the soldier made a quick scoop at the water, only to pull up a lily pad bulb.

“I think that eye of yours needs a little more training!” Link teased, making the lady with the soldier giggle.

“Ah, what do you know?!” The soldier shot back as Link made a scoop, pouring the water and goldfish he’d caught into his cup.

“Plenty, apparently.” The lady gasped a bit in surprise while the soldier growled.

“Oh yeah? Well watch this!” the soldier said, this time scooping up a few silver baitfish.

“Hey, good one! You got a lot in that scoop! Is there a prize for getting a lot of fish in one go?” the lady asked Hena.

“Nope, sorry honey.” Hena said with a shrug.

“C’mon! That’s gotta count for something, right?” the soldier complained, making Link roll his eyes.

“She ain’t gonna bend the rules for ya because you’re a soldier. And even if she did, I’d tell her not to.” Link said, making a scoop for another goldfish, but instead snagging a silver bait fish.

“Oh? And why’s that?”

“Because no soldier should need the rules bent to succeed at something. You just have to keep tryin’ until you get better.” Link said simply, this time snagging the gold fish he’d been after.

“Brute force, huh? I guess that’s all Ordonians know. They wouldn’t know skill if it came up and bit ‘em on the rear.” The soldier grumbled, having picked up on Link’s accent immediately. The lady with him smacked his shoulder for his crude remark.

“So you think focusing on the details and acting swiftly is the only way to do something?” Link said sourly, missing his mark because his hand faltered upon hearing the soldier.

“Of course!”

“Hey, riddle me this: A man’s dug himself a hole two feet wide by two feet long by two feet deep. How much dirt is in the hole now?” Link asked, this time managing to catch another fish.

“Well, that’s simple! The hole is two by two by two, so that means there’s eight feet of dirt in the hole!” The soldier laughed. Link snorted in amusement.

“You’re way off.”

“Eh? What do you mean ‘way off’?”

“It’s a hole.”

“Exactly! So there had to be that much dirt in it!”

“Is that what I asked?” Link questioned, waiting for the soldier to piece together the meaning behind Link’s question.

“You asked how much dirt was in the hole!”

“Nope, I asked how much dirt is in the hole _now_ , meaning after he dug it. Which means that…”

“That there’s nothing in there.” The soldier said softly, realizing just what he’d missed.

“See? Jumping to conclusions without thinking things through is a sure-fire way to get the wrong answer. And detail might be important, but if that’s all you focus on, you’ll miss the forest for the trees. Sometimes us Ordonians are pretty clever, huh?” Link asked as he made one last scoop as the buzzer went off, only to miss the fish he’d been after.

“Alright folks, that’s it! The round’s over, so let’s see what you got!” Hena called.

            The little girl and her father managed to catch a goldfish, netting them an adorable stuffed rabbit as their prize. The soldier held up his cup of bait fish sheepishly as Link held up his cup with two goldfish and a bait fish inside. Hena smirked and let Link take his pick of the stuffed animals, gladly handing him a stuffed gray wolfos and a bear. Link rose from his spot, prizes in his arms, and looked down to the soldier and his lady.

“Hena, give the rest of my time to these two. Maybe he’ll learn a lesson about patience if he’s got a little more time to practice. Oh, and just in case he doesn’t manage to learn that lesson…” Link said calmly as he handed the bear to the lady before turning away from the pair and leaving, nodding to Hena to say goodnight.

“Have a good night, Link!” Hena called after him, trying not to laugh at the pair now staring after him in shock.

\-----

“Link, old boy! Hold a moment!” Shad called through the crowd. Link paused so that Shad could catch up to him.

“Hey Shad! Didja win?” Link asked as he turned to face Shad, only to see a case with a black and white checkered top tucked under his arm.

“I most certainly did! I happened to win a lovely new chess set. I can finally retire my old one.”

“What’s wrong with your old one?”

“It’s… well, frankly it’s seen better days. I’ll keep it for sentimental reasons, but now I have a nice one to use. I see you’ve acquired a new friend?” Shad replied, noticing the stuffed wolfos under his arm.

“Huh? Yeah. My friend Hena was running a booth so I figured I’d give her some patronage. Ain’t she cute?” Link asked, holding the plush up to Shad’s face. Shad smiled at the blue eyes and small tongue sticking out the front of the plush’s mouth.

“Quite adorable, if I do say so myself. Have you happened to see Ashei, perchance?” Shad asked as Link tucked the plush back under his arm.

“Nope. I was about to ask you!”

“Well, I suppose that means she’s already heading over to the-”

“LADIES AND GENTLEMENT! BOYS AND GIRLS! THE SWORDSMANSHIP CONTEST’S FINAL ROUND IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE! PREPARE TO BE AMAZED BY THE ELITE COMPETITORS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS ROUND!” Purlo’s voice rang out over the crowd thanks to the megaphone in his hand.

“Geez that man’s got a mouth on him!” Link grumbled as he looked over in the direction the voice had come from.

“I presume you know him?” Shad asked as he and Link wove through the crowd, managing to get to a spot right near the roped-off section of the square so they could see.

“Yeah. Man’s a snake in the grass, but that makes him all the more fun to beat at his own game.” Link said with a slightly sadistic grin. Shad cocked an eyebrow.

“What on earth does he do?!”

“The S.T.A.R. game. It’s impossible to do without clawshots, but he doesn’t let people that challenge him know that. I’m the only person that’s beaten him… plenty of times over.” Link chuckled, watching as Vivian came into the center of the ring and took the megaphone from Purlo, who had decided to start talking about his own game. Link smirked when he noticed the only thing she’d done to get ready for the night was wash her face free of any soot from her forge, opting to stay in her working clothes.

“Alright, folks! Hello and welcome to the final round of the swordsmanship competition! We’ve all watched some amazing work done here tonight. Winners have been crowned, losers have tasted defeat, and now it’s time for the best of the best to battle it out for the grand prize! We have a special treat for our winners tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Our elites will be competing for a custom sword from my shop, but this isn’t just any sword…” Vivian started, walking over to the judge’s table behind the rope so she could hold up an enormous sword.

“Tonight, our elites are battling for the right to own a biggoron’s sword! These beauties are only made with permission from the Goron tribe, and I’ve just been lucky enough to earn that privilege. Are we ready to see our combatants?!” Vivan called out over the crowd. She was met with a roar from around the ring.

“Alright! On the right side of the ring, representing the knights of Hyrule, we have Captain Argus! And on our left, we have the Resistance’s very own Ashei! A round of applause for our brave combatants!” Vivian said, glad to hear the crowd clapping and cheering when both Ashei and Argus stepped into the ring. Link and Shad both shouted their well wishes to Ashei, hoping to be heard over the din of the crowd.

“Our combatants have three minutes to disarm the other. No strikes are to be made on your opponent’s body, from blade or otherwise, but anything else goes. If one of you are hit, the other wins by default. Are these conditions acceptable?” Vivian asked as she stepped into the ring between the pair, watching as they both drew their blades.

“Fine by me.” Ashei said confidently, sizing up Argus.

“Perfectly, ma’am.” Argus said, doing the same to Ashei.

“Alright. When I give the signal, your time will begin. Ready?” Vivian said as she backed away from the pair, who had taken up their fighting stances.

“Whenever you are, Viv.” Ashei said, taking up her usual stance. She brought her heels together and angled her blade in a low guard, ready to come from any angle.

“As always.” Argus answered, taking up a wide and sturdy stance while opting to use a hanging guard to counter whatever Ashei might have in store.

“START!” Vivian shouted, slapping the starter on the countdown timer.

            Ashei wasted no time in lunging for Argus with a stab, catching him by surprise from her forward move. He jumped back, parrying the move with his blade and twisting his wrist so their blades went vertical. Ashei grinned, not missing how he’d been caught off guard but still handled himself well. Argus put all his weight behind his advance, using the momentum to force Ashei back, having to block all of his rapid yet powerful strikes. She watched his pattern carefully, and once she found an opening, she quickly dodged to the side, forcing Argus to lose his balance and have to correct his direction.

            Before Ashei could use this to her advantage, Argus had used the loss of balance as an opportunity to make a full turn, the momentum creating a heavy diagonal slice that Ashei barely blocked.  Their blades met with a metallic clang, sparks flying from the force of the strike. Argus smirked at her as she gritted her teeth, weighing her options as he pressed harder, forcing her blade dangerously close to her face. The crowd roared, everyone cheering for who they were hoping would win.

“The Royal style is a little slower and heavier than I imagined.” Ashei gritted out as she worked to maneuver her blade to a more favorable position. Argus laughed.

“I come from the Din school of the Royal style, my dear. What I lack in speed I make up for in power.” Argus explained, confused when he saw one of Ashei’s hands twitch.

“You don’t say? Well, I for one hate being dragged down, so I think I’m gonna lose a little weight, if that’s fine with you.” Ashei said as her hand darted to her waist, gripping the bow tight and yanking.

            As Ashei pulled the bow, the skirt of the dress came undone, coming off in a flourish to reveal her usual pants and boots beneath. Argus’ eyebrows shot up in surprise at the change, mirroring the crowd’s gasps of surprise. Of course, there were some that found the situation to be hysterical, namely Link, who was outright laughing at Ashei’s bold move… and the fact that Shad had covered his eyes, cheeks beet red from embarrassment.

            Ashei quickly swung the skirt up near Argus’ face before tossing it away, using the distraction to jump back and come after him again, this time opting for a spinning assault. She ran at him before her leading foot shot out, acting as a pivot as she twisted, landing one slash after the next. Argus stumbled back, focusing on blocking before planting his feet in a wide hanging guard stance and stopping her assault by holding strong. The sudden stop caused Ashei’s balance to slip, forcing her to stop. Using the pause to his advantage, he used his stance as leverage to force her back again, following up with a heavy overhead strike. Ashei’s only option to avoid the strike was to flip back, only to follow up quickly with a lunging stab. The move caught Argus off guard and forced him to block, as her speed and maneuverability had increased substantially by removing the skirt of her dress.

“Going with the Darknut theme and ditching unnecessary clothes, eh?” Argus teased, glad to see Ashei chuckle.

“Well, it’s not against the rules, now is it?” Ashei countered, pressing her blade against his harder.

“I’ll admit, that assault just now was impressive… if I didn’t know any better, I’d have assumed you’d studied under the Farore school of the Royal style. Such speed and grace is unheard of otherwise.” Argus admitted, earning a scoff from Ashei.

“Flattery’s not gonna get you anywhere with me, bub.” Ashei grumbled as she tried to switch their blade’s positions, only for Argus to rotate their blades so they remained in essentially the same position.

“Who’s flattering? I’m merely making an observation!” Argus insisted, stepping forward to gain more leverage. Ashei jumped back a bit and made a quick flurry of stabs that Argus was fast to end with a strong upward swing. Ashei was forced to block as he brought his sword back down in a powerful slice.

“Rather eager to end things early, aren’t you?” Argus asked, smirking as Ashei laughed.

“Well, you know what they say, he who hesitates is lost.” Ashei said, pushing back so that their blades went straight up.

“Ah, but where’s the fun in ending a fight early? I prefer to get to know my opponent a bit before I end them.” Argus said, stepping to the side only to have Ashei keep pressure on their blades, making them circle one another.

“True, but you can learn a lot about someone by how fast they bow out of a fight.”

“Well, I won’t be bowing out anytime soon. That sword is mine.” Argus asserted, glad to see the corners of Ashei’s lips twitch up in a smirk.

“Don’t get too sure of that, Argus. I’ve got my heart set on it too.”

“Is that so? Well, I suppose I’ll just have to end this quickly then.”

“What, tired already? Your age is showing, old man.” Ashei teased, smirking when some of the crowd laughed and cheered her on.

“With age comes experience, my dear lady.” Argus said, chuckling when Ashei blushed. A few whistles went up from the crowd, and Ashei knew exactly where their minds had gone.

“W-what, you looking for a sheathe for your sword?” Ashei shot back, smirking when Argus flushed crimson.

“Well aren’t you the cunning linguist?!” Argus asked in shock. Ashei outright laughed as the crowd cheered louder from their banter.

“I try.” Ashei said with a wink.

            Ashei twisted her body down and maneuvered her blade around Argus’s, forcing his grip to loosen and have to readjust. Ashei seized the opportunity to jump back before coming after him with a vertical slice, stepping and turning to follow with a horizontal slice. Argus was forced to block each strike, being forced back as her onslaught continued. She never held to a set pattern, mixing diagonal with horizontal and vertical slices, forcing Argus to focus on his blocks. Ashei went in for a final blow by leaping up and allowing her momentum to carry her forward, but Argus leapt to the side as she came down, landing in a crouch.

            Argus made a lunge for her, hoping to startle her into releasing her blade, but Ashei acted on instinct, switching her grip to make the blade point to him. She put her hand on the pommel and drove the blade up. Their blades came exceptionally close to their faces, both watching as their blades just barely missed potentially running them through the head. They leapt back before rushing forward again, blades meeting once more.

“Y’know, I don’t generally get this forward with someone I just met.” Ashei panted as Argus pressed forward again, both their blades faltering a bit from the pressure.

“Neither do I, but sometimes you have to put forth a special effort to leave an impression on someone.” Argus gritted out, trying not to lose his grip.

“One minute remaining, combatants!” Vivian announced, making both Ashei and Argus tense.

“Well, as much fun as I’m having, I’m afraid I’ll have to cut this short so I can kick your ass.” Ashei said, only to have Argus laugh.

“Oh no no no, _I’ll_ be kicking _your_ ass.” Argus insisted.

            The pair moved back just enough for their blades to move, and they started their dance once more. Blow for blow, slice for slice, they were an even match. The crowd watched tensely as they made risky stabs and lunges, just barely avoiding having their blades knocked from their hands. As the timer ticked down, the crowd began to count down the seconds remaining, spurring the pair on. As the final seconds approached, both rushed each other with a roar, their swords raised for one last attempt to disarm the other. Link and Shad both covered their eyes, too afraid to watch the final strike. Their blades met once more, but the force of their rush was too great: both lost their grips on their swords, their blades clattering to the cobbled streets below.

            The crowd fell silent in stunned shock as the timer sounded. Ashei and Argus looked to each other in utter surprised, neither having expected to lose their grip in the final rush on their opponent. Link chanced a peek, only to see them both staring at each other in bewilderment, disarmed. He nudged Shad, nodding his head towards the pair, chuckling when Shad gawped at the turn of events.

“W-well… this is unprecedented, ladies and gentlemen! What a thrilling fight!” Vivian called out. The crowd roared in awe and delight once they’d gotten over their initial shock, making both Ashei and Argus blush.

            Ashei looked to Argus with a nervous smile, offering her hand to him. Argus took it without missing a beat, though instead of the handshake Ashei had intended, Argus rose their clasped hands high over their heads, earning them a roar of approval from the crowd. Ashei and Argus unclasped their hands so they could bow for the crowd before retrieving and sheathing their blades (and skirt, in Ashei’s case), taking the opportunity to calm down some. Once that was taken care of, they headed over to the judge’s table, where Purlo and Vivian were arguing.

“-Argus should be awarded the blade! He’s a knight of royal blood deserving of such an honor! And furthermo-” Purlo started, but wasn’t able to finish as Vivian yanked his hat over his head to shut him up.

“Damn, can you talk! Shut your mouth for one second so I can get a word in, would ya?! By that logic, Ashei should get the blade! She made way more successful strikes than Argus!” Vivian argued as Purlo worked to get his hat back to its normal position.

“I can’t take something won on a technicality!” both Ashei and Argus exclaimed, not intending to say so together. Both looked to each other and laughed, failing to see Vivian look between the two of them.

“You two sure about that? If I can’t give it to one of you, neither of you can get it.” Vivian said, only to have them both glance to each other before shaking their heads no.

“How about we just both get a complimentary repair?” Ashei suggested.

“Or perhaps a custom dagger?” Argus offered.

“Ooh, I like his idea better; let’s go with that!” Ashei said excitedly. Vivian could tell Ashei was already planning how it would look, so she accepted their idea.

“Alright, if that’s what you two really want. I’ll let Darbus know, then.” Vivian conceded just as Purlo pulled his hat back into place.

“Argus, are you really going to simply give up such a fantastic chance?!” Purlo exclaimed.

“We both agreed to it?” Ashei tried, confused as to where the issue was.

“He deserves it more than some woman that’s a fraud of a knight!” Purlo growled, glaring at Ashei in contempt. Ashei lunged forward to stop Vivian from punching Purlo’s lights out while Argus walked over to him calmly, fixing him with an icy gaze.

“A fraud, you say? Is that simply because she lacks a proper family name? Or because she was never taught the Royal style?”

“I-well, that is-I mean-” Purlo stuttered, leaning back in his chair, clearly intimidated. Vivian had calmed down, watching Argus carefully as he took one of Ashei’s hands and held it up to Purlo’s eyes.

“Take a good look at this lady’s hands. Do you see any sign of pampering or softness? These are the hands of a warrior: proudly scarred from battles well fought and calloused from endless training. This woman is every bit a knight as I am, and I’m honored to say that our bout ended in a tie. It simply means that we both have farther still to go in our growth as warriors. Do you understand this?”

“Y-yes!” Purlo squeaked as Argus let Ashei’s hand go.

“Good. And if we’re talking frauds, you’re the biggest one here, you glimmering _fop_. Now if you’ll excuse us…” Argus said coolly as he took Ashei by the hand and lead them away, smirking as he heard Vivian openly laughing at Purlo.

“I apologize for cutting in again like that. I know very well now that you can take care of yourself.” Argus said as they found a quiet spot away from the crowd.

“That’s fine. It’s… actually kinda nice having someone stick up for me that’s not my friends. Most people just avoid me because… well, you already know I’ve got a quick temper.” Ashei laughed, not seeing the soft smile Argus gave her.

“As do I. My anger is simply colder than yours. Not to mention we’re both foolhardy to a fault!” Argus chuckled as he said the last bit.

“Right?! You actually had me scared there for a moment; I thought for sure I was gonna make you lose an eye! In all honesty, though, I thought the crowd would be a little more disappointed in us…” Ashei said softly.

“And yet they were delighted to see our blades clash.”

“Surprisingly. I might have missed out on a Biggoron’s sword, but I’ve got a nice dagger coming and had a hell of a time. You?” Ashei asked, watching Argus’ expression carefully.

“I was utterly enthralled! It’s not often I’m on edge in a fight like that. You did quite a good job of keeping me on my toes… in more ways than one.” Argus teased, smirking when Ashei’s blush came back.

“Yeah I… didn’t mean to offend you or nothin’, it just sorta came out.” Ashei admitted, scratching the back of her neck sheepishly.

“Why are you apologizing? I started it!”

“And I ended it, now didn’t I?” Ashei said with a smirk, her blush having died down enough to only dust her cheeks.

“I… that you did. I sincerely enjoyed our bout, Ashei. I hope you’ll indulge me with a rematch?” Argus asked hopefully. Ashei chuckled a little bit and bit her lip in thought before meeting Argus’s eyes.

“Only if that includes a lunch. Sound fair?” Ashei asked, smirking when Argus’ eyebrows went up in surprise.

“I’ll take it I won more than your respect tonight?” Argus asked, only for Ashei to playfully cuff his ear.

“Don’t count your cuccos before they hatch, bub. We’ll start with the lunch and rematch and see where that goes. How does next Friday sound?” Ashei asked.

“Splendid, Ashei. I look forward to facing you with no limitations. Now, unfortunately, I must return to my men for the night. Until then.” Argus said, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it.

             He gave her a fond smile before leaving, disappearing back into the crowd once more. Ashei felt her cheeks heat up substantially once she realized what he’d done and quickly shook her head, hoping to clear it. Despite her usual opinions, she had to admit Argus had definitely piqued her interest, and possibly could be more to her than a friend.

‘Oh Din, what have I gotten myself into?’ Ashei thought as she heard Link calling to her over the crowd.

“Hey! Ashei, that was amazing! Where’s that guy you fought? I wanna ask him to spar sometime!” Link asked excitedly.

“Oh forget sparring! Ashei, did he hurt you? Any scratches? I swear to Nayru if he did I’ll-”

“Oh stop it, Shad! I’m fine! Quit being such a worry wart, geez. And he’s a royal knight, Link. You should be able to track him down at the castle if you ask around. His name is Argus.” Ashei said to them, failing to see them both glance to each other and smirk deviously.

“Say Ashei… what’cha blushin’ for?” Link asked coyly.

“Why Link, I think she might very well be smitten!” Shad suggested, chuckling when Ashei’s blush only intensified.

“What? Our Ashei? Never!” Link replied dramatically. Neither of them saw Ashei’s shoulders begin to tremble in anger.

“YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT! CUPID’S GONNA HAVE TO BEAT ME OVER THE HEAD WITH HIS QUIVER IF HE WANTS ME TO FALL IN LOVE!!” Ashei shouted at the pair as she lunged for them both, only just missing grabbing them. Link and Shad took off running, hoping to escape Ashei’s wrath as she chased after them.

\-----

“So that’s how you two got those goose eggs on your heads? Well, it serves you both right, teasing Ashei like that!” Telma admonished from behind the counter of her food stall. She chuckled at the dejected pair as she set down two bowls of beef tips and rice for Link and Shad.

“But she teases us every chance she gets!” Link interjected, only to have Ashei poke the aforementioned goose egg, making him yelp.

“Because I’m right when I tease you two; you’re both just stubborn and dense. Besides, I only just met Argus tonight, so you two can’t just assume we’re a match made in the sacred realm. You get me?” Ashei said as she took a bite of her own bowl of beef tips and rice, glad to have a meal in her stomach.

“That implies after this rematch you two have scheduled, we’re allowed to tease you as we see fit, yes?” Shad asked carefully, watching Ashei for any sign of movement.

“Yup. Fair’s fair.” Ashei said around a mouthful.

“Well, now that that’s settled… I’ve actually rather enjoyed myself tonight you two. Bumps to the head aside, of course.” Shad said, looking at the pair seated to his right.

“Yeah! It’s a lot showier that what we do back home, but I had a lot of fun tonight, so thanks for suggesting this, Ashei.” Link said, glancing to the right of him to see Ashei’s reaction.

“Well, once we’re done here, we have to stop by Shad’s tea booth like we promised him. And I have to head over to the archery stall again so I can pick my prize up, since the lady was nice enough to watch it for me. Thanks again for dinner, Telma. It’s great as usual!” Ashei said with a thankful smile. Telma just waved the praise off.

“Honey, after the show you gave us tonight, you deserve it! And I’m glad you and Shad managed to win yourselves something nice. That little plush is just too cute, Link!” Telma said as she looked at the wolfos sitting on her counter.

“Thanks! I think I’m gonna name her Saria.” Link replied.

“After the Sage of the Forest Temple? I suppose that’s fitting, since the Forest Temple is considered the wolfos’ original territory.” Shad remarked, trying to remember if that was correct or not.

“Hey, the fireworks are startin’! Lucky y’all; you get a dinner and a show!” Telma said with a laugh.

            The trio turned in their seats to watch as the fireworks began to soar into the air, whistling through the air before bursting into beautiful showers of color. Link smiled, watching his friends as they enjoyed the spectacle for themselves. If anything, he was happy everyone had a wonderful night, and was even happier that Shad seemed far more relaxed than he had earlier that day. Shad noticed Link looking to him and gave him a sideways glance, questioning his gaze. Link was quick to turn away, feeling the slightest blush creep onto his cheeks. Shad simply shrugged, assuming it wasn’t important, and turned back to the fireworks to enjoy the display. One thing was certain for all of them, though: they were all going to sleep well that night after the festival’s excitement.

**Author's Note:**

> Shad passed out and slept for a solid two days after he and Link got home. He finally ceded to Link and Ashei’s original point and just submitted his thesis.


End file.
